Author: Jonathan Dodson

Non-Christians in Christian Community? (Part 2)

Posted on August 20, 2010

This is a guest post from Nate Navarro, Director of Missional Community at Austin City Life. Here is Part 1.

Travis is a successful Austin attorney in his mid 30’s who has been a part of our Missional Community for about a year. Recently, after serving together at the retirement center in our neighborhood, we had a dinner together at a central Austin cheeseburger joint. Travis, who had recently been hosting our Missional Community gatherings (without saying a word), spoke up and said:

“I don’t think it is important for married couples to both be Christians….my wife is a Christian….and I am not…..it works fine for us.”

He said it.

Though I had thought for quite some time Travis was just tolerating us for his wifes sake, now we knew it….he doesn’t believe in Jesus…in fact….he probably thinks we are crazy!

SO WHAT TO DO?

Break out the 4 spiritual laws? Take a stroll down Romans road? Throw all my best Tim Keller “Reasons For God” at him?

In a moment of sanity I looked across the table and said:

“Travis, I want to thank you for being a part of our community. It would be easy for you to just think we are crazy, instead, you have served us by hosting our gatherings at your house and even serving with us at the Retirement Center. On top of that, I think you are a cool guy and I appreciate what you bring to our community.”

Travis said, “sure…no problem….I like you guys.”

Since then Travis has been more actively involved in our community, though I am sure he still thinks we are a bit crazy with all our “Gospel-Centered” conversations.

My hope is that we will be a community who SHOWS the Gospel to Travis, and to our city…..

My hope is that we will be a community who TELLS the Gospel to Travis, and to our city….

May we do so out of LOVE and not out of the need to convince others that WE ARE RIGHT.

Missional Living Talks

Posted on August 20, 2010

The Resurgence posted on my talks at the Missional Living Conference. Several people have contacted me about the broken or incorrect links there. I sent the corrections to Resurgence but also wanted to provided the correct ones here. Hope they are helpful!

  • The Gospel & American Christianity: This message deconstructs the dualism of American Christianity in order to reconstruct a whole Gospel around Jesus Christ as Lord.
  • Community in American Christianity: This message demonstrates the communal character of the Gospel, unpacking very practical ways to cultivate “steady state community.”
  • Everyday Mission in America: This message shows how mission is not optional but essential, spending considerable time on how to live “everyday life with gospel intentionality.”
  • How a Church Renews a City: This message shows how Gospel communities on mission is God’s design to renew cities.

Spiritual Growth in Work & Relationships

Posted on August 16, 2010

The word “grow” has evolved into an unnoticed metaphor in the English language. We talk about growing our gardens, growing our savings, growing our leadership, the growth of our children, the growth of our business or ministry, and even our own spiritual growth. But what does it mean to truly “grow”?

The call to spiritual growth is ubiquitous in Scripture. Adam was created to grow in his love for God and for Eve. Israel was commanded to grow into a holy, worshiping multitude (Gen. 48:16). The prophets rebuked and praised Israel for their failure and success in growth (Isa. 17; Jer. 12). Jesus compared our growth to seeds that bear thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold (Mark 4:8). Peter commands us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Spiritual growth is clearly a biblical theme, but it can be difficult to detect, frustrating to foster, and even painful to experience. When we place our growth in the context of messy relationships and demanding work, it gets even harder. A demanding deadline or an unsympathetic friend can seem like an obstacle to growth instead of an opportunity.

Read the rest of the article at The High Calling

Teaching & Learning from Africa’s Orphans

Posted on August 14, 2010

This is a guest blog written by Jessica Souzea, ACL team member to Uganda. She reflects on her time ministering to the children of Akisim, a village in deep Eastern Uganda.

Akisim is a village where I had the privilege of reading from the book of Genesis to about 80 children (half of them are orphans). We read the story of Adam and Eve and Noah’s Ark from The Jesus Storybook Bible, which shows how Jesus fits into the stories of the Bible. Although we had a translator (sweet man named Max Ogwapit-Head teacher of Hope & Joy Orphanage), the children listened so attentively and quietly that I questioned if they were even understanding me. But they timidly raised their hands and answered all the questions with the quietest voices-all correctly!

The Holy Spirit in Garden of Eden

Afterward, we passed out paper, crayons, and colored pencils and asked them to draw (in groups), anything they would like from the story of Adam and Eve. When they were finished, they went up and showed their picture to the rest of the children. Each of them showed an apple, a tree, a garden, and Adam and Eve. Dave and I noticed that there were doves in the pictures they were drawing…we simply thought they just wanted a bird in the picture. Until one of the orphans, a small boy who did not stop smiling, explained to us what the dove was. He explained:

“this is the Garden of Eden, and this is Eve who is eating the apple because the snake told her to, and this is the dove, who is the Spirit of God who came when they ate the apple and is going to come back.”

It was so awesome hearing this small boy tell us what that dove in the pictures meant. Maybe it was something they were taught, or maybe it was the way they envisioned the story…either way, it was such a cool moment.

The Whole World in Their Hands

When we were done reading the stories, asking questions, and drawing pictures, Dave blew up the inflatable globe ball that Logan had donated for the kids. We showed them where we were from and showed them the route we took to fly to Uganda. They laughed. It was great. Then, Dave taught the kids a simple, but fun game we all played as children. Keep the ball in the air and don’t let it touch the ground. Dave said when he had told them how to play they just laughed. I looked over to him and the kids and as soon as he threw the ball up in the air they went wild.  All you could hear was the joyous, most incredible sound ever…the sound of 80-something kids excitedly screaming each time the ball came down because they did not want it to touch the ground.  I, along with Dave, could not stop smiling. I’m so thankful for Akisim and for those kids. They created my favorite moments.